Red Bull come back into the fight with nail-biting action from Max Verstappen in COTA.
All eyes were on Red Bull for all the wrong and right reasons this weekend at the United States Grand Prix. They headed into Austin, Texas with scrutiny over their T-tray shenanigans and left with their heads held high after a podium finish.
The T-ray gate made the paddock animated, with everyone pointing fingers at Red Bull. Despite this, the team has demonstrated its competitiveness on the track, even beyond the criticism received.
T-RAY GATE
The return to the track was full of surprises. Red Bull admitted the existence of a T-Ray adjustment system on the RB20. They stated that this system was inaccessible once the car was fully assembled. Therefore, it could not be modified under parc fermé. This situation only complicated the situation for Red Bull, who were also forced to immediately modify the car.
This also contributed to creating a sort of tense atmosphere. Many teams wanted Red Bull to be disqualified. Yet, this was not the case. Red Bull has a pneumatic system that is activated by the steering wheel. In a certain sense, they were smart enough to circumvent the system without breaking it. Despite this, the situation ended in the simplest way. Red Bull made a pact with the FIA.
The Race of Red Bull in Texas
For this race in Texas, Red Bull decided to bring only one small update. The floor edge and the coke/engine cover.
From this race, it is clear that Red Bull has actually improved after their recent struggles. The few updates brought, have been able to allow the team to work better. Max Verstappen himself after qualifying was satisfied with the changes made to the car. The team has in fact managed to find an excellent set-up capable of bringing the car to a good level of competitiveness.
Despite the T-Ray gate, Red Bull, especially Max Verstappen have shown to be tough to beat. In recent days, the RB20 has been declared an “illegal car”. Yet this car, despite the changes made after various discussions, has demonstrated its competitiveness still.
The Ferraris might have been the dominant force this weekend, rounding it off with the first Ferrari 1-2 in the USA since 2006, but McLaren found it tough to challenge Red Bull. Lando Norris settled for P4 after a time penalty whilst Verstappen enjoyed a P3 after the two battled for the final podium spot for most of the race.
What to expect from the next race?
The next stop is in Mexico. One of the peculiarities of this track is that it is located at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level. This affects several aspects.
In particular, at that altitude, the air is less dense and thus reduces the resistance of the advancement. Consequently, the cars whizz by even faster, despite having the maximum aerodynamic load. The thin air makes it even more complicated. It causes the temperatures of the engines and brakes to rise.
What is important on this track is to have a good engine, a good braking system and above all, good aerodynamic load. Red Bull currently seems to have all the credentials for this track.
